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LSU suffers worst NCAA regional loss ever

LSU (38-26) plays at 2 p.m. Sunday in an elimination game against Northwestern State (38-23), which eliminated San Diego State, 9-0, earlier Saturday.
Photo: USA Today Sports

BATON ROUGE - No. 1 seed Oregon State exacted its revenge from LSU, and then some.

The Beavers, who were eliminated from the College World Series last year with back-to-back 3-1 and 6-1 losses to LSU, handed the Tigers their worst loss in NCAA Regional history, 14-1, in front of 4,009 at Goss Stadium Saturday night in Corvallis, Oregon. The previous worst loss by LSU in NCAA Regional play was by 11-0 to Cal State Fullerton in 1992 at Alex Box Stadium.

LSU (38-26) plays at 2 p.m. Sunday in an elimination game against Northwestern State (38-23), which eliminated San Diego State, 9-0, earlier Saturday. The Tigers beat the Demons, 9-5, in Alex Box Stadium on May 15.

Oregon State (46-10-1) advances to an 8 p.m. game Sunday against the LSU-Northwestern State winner. LSU defeated San Diego State, 6-4, on Friday afternoon, while Oregon State beat Northwestern State, 9-3.

The LSU-Northwestern State winner would have to beat Oregon State Sunday night and again Monday at 9 p.m. to advance to the Super Regional round.

LSU's 13-run loss was also its second worst loss in NCAA postseason history as it had a 20-6 loss to Cal State Fullerton in the 1994 College World Series.

Oregon State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning off LSU starter Zack Hess on a two-run, two-out double by Adley Rutschman.

The Tigers loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first inning against Oregon State ace Luke Heimlich as Heimlich walked Zach Watson, hit Antoine Duplantis and gave up a single to Austin Bain.

One of LSU's best and hottest hitters then stepped up in Daniel Cabrera, but he bounced back to Heimlich, who threw home for one out, and Rutschman touched the plate and threw to first for a double play. Nick Coomes then popped out to first base to end the inning, and Heimlich was out of it.

MORE: LSU advances to rematch with Oregon State

Nick Madrigal started Oregon State's third inning eruption for three runs with a one-out single off Hess, who then allowed a single to Trevor Lamach. But Hess recovered to strike out Rutschman. Hess was about to have the third out in his glove, but he let a slow roller by Michael Gretier bounce under his glove for an infield single and RBI to put the Beavers up 3-0.

Hess then unraveled as he walked Tyler Malone to load the bases, then walked Kyle Nobach and Zak Taylor with the bases loaded for two more runs and the 5-0 deficit. Hess went to three balls and no strikes to start Nobach and Taylor. His three consecutive walks came against he Nos. 7, 8 and 9 batters. Only after Steven Kwan stepped up did LSU send someone to the bullpen in Caleb Gilbert.

But Hess got out of the inning as Kwan flew out to center.

There was more trouble for Hess in the fourth, though, as Cadyn Grenier doubled and later scored on a RBI double by Rutschman for a 6-0 Oregon State lead. Gretier then reached on an error by usually dependable LSU shortstop Hal Hughes, and another run scored for a 7-0 Beavers' lead.

Caleb Gilbert relieved a struggling Hess, but he hit the first batter he faced, then walked in a run for an 8-0 deficit. Taylor singled in two more for a 10-0 Oregon State lead. Hess allowed eight hits and nine earned runs in three and one-third innings with four walks and six strikeouts for the loss to fall to 7-6.

LSU finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jake Slaughter hit a solo home run to cut Oregon State's lead to 10-1. The Beavers added two in the sixth and two more in the seventh for the 14-1 final.

Heimlich (15-1) picked up the win, limiting LSU to six hits and the one run in seven innings with four walks and three strikeouts.

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